may be afraide hauing no ill to say of you 2. Tim. 7. This is the conuersation which IESVS-CHRIST and his Apostles require of vs which is euer to be accompanied with these 4. requisit circumstances First with choyce of good company 2. with a right intention 3. with innocency And 4. with moderation for by excesse we are cloyed eue◠with the honny combe Prou. 25. Let finally all your discourse be well seasoned with prudence saith the Apost Coloss 4. that you may know how and with whom you are to conuerse and to comport your selfe with euery one according to their talent and seuerall condition whereby accommodating your selfe vnto all you may keepe charity with all and become gratefull and pleasing vnto euery one To conclude the best conuersation in this world is that which most resembles what is amongst the Saints in Heauen which only consists in praising and glorifiing God Psal 149. The meanes and best expedient to obtayne true Christian and laudable Conuersation BY the premisses you vnderstand what conditions are required for a laudable and vertuous Conuersation but because it is not so much the knowledge as the possession of what we know which makes vs happy therefore you may here expect some good expedient for gaining the practise of such a conuersation Wherein for your satisfaction I conceiue no humane meanes more powerfull to beget in Man a vertuous and gratefull Conuersation then to conuerse with such persons as frame theirs according to the former conditions for they are to vs as a true lookeing-glasse wherein beholding our defects we are mooued by a wholsome confusion both to hate and to amend them This is so well experienced a truth and so truly consonant to reason as therevpon that common prouerb is well grounded which saith tell me what companie thou keepest and I will tell thee what thou art Yea the holy Ghost assures vs that who walketh with the wise shall be wise but the frend of fooles shall be made like Prou. 13. The exceeding great power which conuersation and company keeping hath to make not only deepe impression in the hart but euen to change the strongest inclinations of nature it selfe most manifestly appeares not only in Men but also in brute and the sauage beastes as is plaine to be seene in the rauenous woolfe and in the fierce and cruell Lion both which by the company and continuall habitation with men become gentle and verie familiar And therefore if companie and society haue so conquering a force vpon natures of so quite a different kind how much more powerfull must it needs be to worke vpon a subiect of the selfesame nature wherein by reason of a Sympathy and nearenesse of condition mutuall impressions are made with farr greater facility And this experience daily teacheth vs since we see the great good which is gain'd by frequenting vertuous ciuill companie on the contrary daily sadd examples make but too manifest how extreamely dāgerous it is to frequent persons of deboist and sinfull conuersation and what a multitude of vnhappy soules perish eternally thereby for it strikes their soules with a mortall infection more pestilent and contagious then is the greatest plague O Parents be yee therefore verie carefull with whom your children conuerse and take no lesse heed to the example which you your selues shall giue them for your comportment being their Rule if that be vertuous it will giue them vndoubtedly a much better impression to vertue then anie verball instructions for to vertue saith Seneca the way by example is short but by words it is verie long and we beleeue our eyes much rather then our eares which gaue S. Gregory good cause to call Example a liuing lesson because it is perswasiue aboue all the rest This great power of perswasion had S. Austin our Apostle and his fellow brethren by their vertuous life and Conuersation in that happy worke of conuerting our first English Auncesters from Paganisme to the Cath. Faith our Chronicles mentioning that it was their holy life and religious behaueour which first disposed King Ethelbert to a good opinion of that Religion which had taught them the practise of so great Charity and contempt of all worldly commodities which pious opinion of the holy Cath. Faith being soone after perfected in him by Gods diuine grace he became a most zealous good Christian and endeauored all he could to promote throughout his Kingdome the blessed Gospel of IESVS-CHRIST To this good meanes of example for gaining a vertuous Conuersation you must also adioyne a great vigilancie ouer all passionate motions which may happen in the vnexpected and exasperating occasions of that day wherein foreseeing the danger you may in quiet peace and mildenes more easily preuent the malice both of your ghostly and worldly enemies 2. It will be of great importāce that we propose to our selues as a Patterne some Person in particular who is endued with this perfect Conuersation goe to Campagnia and imitate Paulin said S. Aug. as giuing counsaile to some who desired to aduance themselues in this perfection But our chiefe Patterne and best Modell which we are principally to imitate as neare as we can is the conuersation of our diuine Originall the eternall Word Incarnate here conuersing vpon earth with so great mildenesse and hnmblenesse of hart amongst Men. This is the lesson he so expresly recommended to vs to learne of him Math. 11. where it is to be obserued that he ioynes these two vertues Mildenesse and Humility togeather because they cannot well be separated Humility being properly the interiour sweetnesse of the minde as is Mildnesse the exteriour expression of the same the former is grounded in a true Christian hart and the latter dwells vpon his contenance which hauing its dependance vpon an humble hart no Choler can make impressiō in such a countenance nor anie signe of anger can rest vpon that eye no complaint can be hard from that mouth nor anie bitternesse from such a tongue no schowling frowne appeares in that brow but all is sweet and amiable both to God and Man You haue seene what conditions are required for a vertuous and laudable Conuersation as also the best expedient whereby to obtayne the same It now followes in good methode that I declare which are the vicious branches most destructiue to Christian conuersation that they first being cutt off and separated our conuersation may become gratefull both to God and Man and produce in our soules most blessed fruit for Eternity But to preuent in the beginning a common obiection wherewith the enemies of all holy Conuersation endeauourto possesse the sensuall Libertins thereby to deterr them from embracing it we must here first obserue how they would haue all to beleeue that honest recreation and ciuill myrth are incompatible with this vertuous and laudable Conuersation then which nothing is mote false as by what here followeth will verie plainly appeare Ciuill Myrth and cheerefull Alacrity are well beseeming true
from God himself which doth farr surpass whatsoeuer humane force or industrie is able to obtaine approach yee to mee and be enlightned saith the Psalmist Psal 33. And from this light it was that S. Hier. and S. Tho. of Aquin. confess to haue had their greatest helpe to vnderstand the hardest obscurest points both of the holy Scripture and Diuinity And by what other meanes obtained S. Antony in the desert S. Simon Stilites in his stupendious and long penitentiall life vpon a pillar B. Gregory Lopez in his great retirement both from all company study of humane litterature Sainte Cath. of Sienna S. Theresa and so many more holy persons from whence I say did they draw such profound knowledge of all diuine Mysteries but from this heauenly helpe of holy prayer Nor is it any meruell that those who are taught immediatly by God himself should by such a lightsee more cleerely and vnderstād more profoūdly then they who deriue their knowledge but from their meere humane industry which is without comparison much more vnperfect then the light of a candle in regard of the bright shining Sunne since the Sunne being of a farr heigher nature and force it serues not only to enlighten but also to giue growth and life to all whereupon it shines Psal 93. whereas the poore weake glimering candle comes short of all such effects fitly represents to vs the weake capacity of mans naturall vnderstanding and knowledge Blessed S. Augustin is as efficacious and cleare in declaring to vs the necessity of holy Prayer as he hath been to manifest its happy fruits assuring vs that Prayer is as necessary for the soul as is aire or food for the body without which as it cannot liue so neither can the soule continue long in its spirituall life of grace without the holy exercise of Prayer which is to her as a furnace is to iron for that mettle although of it selfe it bee both hard stiff and cold yet being cast into the furnace it becomes hot bright and plyable to what forme the workman shall please and remaining but a short time out of the forge returnes to its former naturall qualities and becomes as stiff and cold as before It is iust so with our soul which through its deprau'd nature is both cold very vnplyable to vertue vnless it be heated by the holy fire of Prayer from which it cannot long be separated but it looseth feruour and returnes to its former bad inclination and sinfull habits againe Hauing here briefly discourced of the necessity and great fruit of holy Prayer I cannot omit to say something also of the force and singular efficacie of the same and how powerful a meanes it is to obtaine at Gods hands all our corporall and spirituall necessities as by Gods holy helpe I shal endeauour to prooue by seuerall most manifest examples both out of the old and new Testaments As first may well appeare in that dangerous great encounter betwixt Amalech and the Children of Israel wherein so long as Moyses lifted vp his hands to pray the Israelits preuailed but if through weariness his armes failed to continue that holy posture their enemies gain'd the aduantage so that in Moses his prayers consisted their strength and victory Deut. 17. And how often he at other times by feruent prayer with held Gods hand euen ready to strike a deserued reuenge vpon rhose rebellious people as may be seene in the same chapter The like powerfull effect had his holy prayers for those sinfull people Exod. 32.10 God there saying to Moses Pray not for this people nor hinder me thereby from punishing them And Exod 23. wee see how in a maner he held Gods hands from thundering fourth his destroying wrath vpon that rebellious generation for their adoring the golden calfe Suffer me that my wrath may be power'd forth against them as if hee had held him by force from destroying him And Psal 105.23 and 24 he said he would destroy them if Moyses his elect had not stood in the way before him to turne aside his wrath that he might not destroy them Yea had not the powerfull effect of praier sufficient force to change Gods dreadfull sentence pronounced by his Prophet Ionas for the destruction of sinnefull Niniue which yet by holy prayer and penance obtained his mercifull pardon Iosue by his prayer stayd the course of the Sunne vntill he had accomplisht a glorious Victory ouer his enemies Ios 10. Esa by prayer caused the same Sunne to goe backe in fauour of King Ezechias ten whole lines of the dyall and the same King Ezechias by his feruent prayer retarded death it selfe fifteene whole yeares which was before vpon the very point to haue seised vpon him Kings 3.18 And since the Law of grace many of Gods Saints by prayer haue raised the dead S. Gregor Thaumaturgus so called by reason of so great a number of stupendious miracles which he wrought dryed vp a great lake by his prayer to reconcile a mortall discord which it caused betwixt two contentious brothers Hee remoued a great mountaine to make place for the building a Church He fixing his walking staff into the banke of a Riuer which by its frequēt inundations vsed exceedingly to preiudice all the territories about that drie staff presētly sprouted fourth and grew vp to a great tree and by his prayers became the limited bounds of that vnruly riuer which it neuer afterwards exceeded And to conclude Zonaras relates that S. Basil by his prayers open'd the fast shutt dores of the Church at Nice which the Arrians could not effect by theirs in the presence of Valence the Emperour who had proposed that expedient to prooue whether the prayers of the Catholiks or those of the heretike Arians were most efficacious consequently which of their faiths should be esteemed for true By all which their prodigious miracles we plainly see the greate power and force of prayer and we shall need no better proofe to manifest how strongly it preuailes with God for whatsoeuer we shall but rightly demande And therefore I will now proceed and shew VVHAT EXTERIOVR preparation is required for prayer and what interiour conditions are necessary to make it gratful to God and fruitfull to our souls wherein consists the chiefe point of this good Rule for holy Prayer FIrst for the exteriour preparation a conuenient place is to be assigned to prayer which may be solitary quiet and free from noise and company Secondly certaine appointed and conuenient times are to be set apart for this holy exercise which without fitting cause we must not omit nor change Thirdly the composition of the body must be modest deuout and humble as bare head and vpon our knees with ioyned and eleuated hands like criminels crauing the mercy of God Fourthly our words must be also rauerently pronounced and so leasurely as to bee distinctly vnderstood for as it would be esteemed an exceeding inciuility to speake so consusedly fast to a temporall
whatsoeuer whether by fasting prayer or any corporall austerity it being the infinit satisfaction of IESVS-CHRIST which is thereby applied to our souls And hence it is that Sathan our mortal enemy and all his wicked instruments so mainely oppose the holy Masse as greatly enuying the glory of God and our soules health which is reaped thereby Say daily our Ladis office and your beades according to the seuerall mysteries thereof and reade towards the euening the Saints life for the next day obseruing with good leasure what vertues you shal finde therein most necessary for your owne practise and make it the subiect of your next morning resolution to produce some good acts thereof as occasion may be offered and craue humbly that Saints intercession to God to obtaine you grace for imprinting so needfull a vertue into your soule There is yet one thing more which both for its piety and profit may well chalenge a prime place amongst our deuotions the Letanies I meane of that most sweet and adorable name of IESVS which you haue in the Key of paradise and other bookes Piety demands it in deuout acknowledgement of those diuine and glorious attributes of our Eternall King and louing Redeemer IESVS-CHRIST And profit may also perswade vs to it since diuine truth assures vs that whatso euer we shall aske in his name it will be granted vs. Iohn 14.13 yea to him all the Prophets giue testimonie that all receiue remission of sinnes by his name who beleeue in him Act. 10. nor is there vnder Heauen anie other name giuen to men wherein we must be saued Act. 4.12 So deare and gratefull was this blessed name to the beloued Apostle S. Iohn as it is to be found 200. tymes repeated in his Ghospel And so sweete was it to S. Paul as it is obserued by S. Iohn Chrisost to be repeated by him 200. tymes also in his Epistles yea and that after his head was strucke of at Rome for profession of the holy Faith of IESVS it pronounced three seuerall tymes that blessed name as if springing at each tyme with ioy and at each bound a cleare fountaine sprung also fourth which is to be seene at this day in memory of that his most happie martyrdome This sacred name was also found engrauen with goulden letters in the hart of that blessed Bishop and Martyr S. Ignatius in testimonie of his feruent loue and continuall thoughts there vpon which had so happily there imprinted it and therefore not without much cause the great Apostle hath charged vs. Coloss 3.17 that whatsoeuer we doe in word or in worke we doe all in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST giuing thanks to God the Father by him whom we both praise and glorifie by all the blessed attributes of these holy Letanies raising thereby our harts both to loue and adore him in whose sacred merits we must place our whole trust and confidence as well for remission of sinne as for the saluation of our soules in eternall Blisse Now as for the other Letanies of the sacred Virgin Mother of God as also for that of the peculiar Saints of our Kingdome you haue them in your manuel and other bookes of deuotion where you may finde them And for the first I neede not recommende it vnto you for if King SalomoÌ„ entertayn'd his mother with so great expression of all yealding willingnesse to her petition saying my mother aske for it behooueth not that I turne my face Kings 2.20 How powerfull then may we well beleeue is the intercession of the most glorious Virgin Mother of God and Queene of Heauen with her deare sonne IESVS in the behalfe of her deuoted seruants The other Letanies of the peculiar Saints of England we may confideÌ„tly beleeue will also bevery efficacious seeing we cannot doubt but that the country which gaue them their birth to that happie temporall life wherein they wrought to themselues an eternall is so peculiarly verie deare vnto theÌ„ as they cease not to begg that blessing for it most to be desired of a happie conuersion to the only true sauing and holy Cath. Faith for which we must ioyne our most earnest petition with them for the increase of Gods glory and for the Saluation of those so dearely redeemed soules These three different Letanies may be ordered by your selfe for seuerall dayes according to your deuotion by placing them inorder amongst your other daily prayers Be not vnmindfull of gratitude and due deuotion to your most faithfull Angel Guardian craue his assistance in all your necessities and thankefuâ—ly acknowledge his continuall helpe and fauour Manifest with all confidence your necessities vnto him that he presenting them to God in your behalfe may obtayne diuine fauours for your ignorance good counsell in doubts needfull succour in your dangers comfort in your afflictions protection against all your ghostly enemies and particularly diuine assistance in the dreadfull houre of your death The practise of a daily partiâ—ular examen of Conscience THere remaines yet that I also recommend to you that most profitable Exercise for obtayning true Christian perfection by makeing daily your particular Examen of Conscience much after the method of your generall examen before bed with this onely difference that this is to be made of all your sinnes in generall and the other but in particular and concerning your performance of the good purpose you made in the morning either for rooting out some one determinate vice or for the practise of some particular vertue This speciall Examen of our fidelity concerning the performance of our mornings Resolution and subiect of this our particular Examen is ordinarly to be made immediately before dinner and supper and in the space of saying fiue Pater nosters at the most takeing for the subiect thereof and as a particular taske either the gaining some needfull vertue or the extirpation of some determinate vice most predominant in our soules and of most scandall to our neighbour purposing to make that day some peculiar Actes of that vertue or of opposing that vice as occasion shall be offerred and when we offende to make some interiour aspiration to God knocking our breast or making the signe of the Crosse vpon our hart in token of crauing pardon and that we disauow the sinne All which may be done euen whilst we are in companie with other people if conueniently we cannoâ— retyre yea although otherwise actually and by necessity employed yet we may retyre our selues into the best interiour Oratory of our soule and there eleuating our minde to God we may performe this holy Exercise both with much merit and profit as did holy S. Catherine of Sienna whilst her parents by corporall employments endeauoured to hinder her priuate retreate vnto spirituall prayer Our Examen thus briefly made of our fidelity or negligence in that our mornings good Resolution we must giue thankes to God for the one and begg pardon for the other as our conscience shall best dictate to vs crauing Gods
humbled for our sake craue humbly Gods grace to practise this holy Humility of hart in the disposition spirit of that profound Humility which IESVS-CHRIST hath practised for our loue and that with a true vertuous courage you may cheerefully endure all confusions and abiections whatsoeuer they being all so most iustly due to a rebellious sinner and to most abiect sinne Of Conformity to the will of God the third Exercise of this Rule THis holy Conformity is to the precedent great vertue of Humility but as a linke of the same chaine and the verie true sequele of that blessed vertue they being both united in that superiour happy tye of the loue of God whereby this precious chavness composed of the continued linkes of mani other great vertues and vnites vs most happily vnto God himselfe In fine from true Humility as from a most precious roote springs fourth this faire and gratefull flower of vertuous Conformity for by an humble and true abiect contempt of our selues our owne will becomes easily conformable not only to the will of God but also for his sake we submit and subiect our selues euen to the meanest creature aliue Now in the faithfull practise of this heroique vertue consists that true Christian Perfection which IESVS CHRIST hath not only taught vs by word daily to pray that his will be done in Earth at it is in Heauen But he confirmed also the same by his owne example telling vs that he came downe from Heauen not to doe his owne will but the will of his Father who sent him S. Iohn 6. and this he esteemed as his nourishing food Math. 11. Yea and it is most worthy of obseruing that from the tyme of his returne with the sacred Virgin and S. Ioseph from his diuine reasoning with the Doctors in the Temple at Hierusalem as if he had come downe from Heauen for no other designe then to shew obedience and Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will in obeying and being subiect vnto his Parents pleasure he was so exactly punctuall in all dutifull obedience to them as the holy Euangelist recompts to vs no other of of his diuine actions during the farr greater part of all his tyme liuing hereupon earth amongst vs but only that he Was obedient and subiect to them the perfect performance of which holy Conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will he finally sealed by rendring himselfe vnto that bitter and reproachfull death vpon the Crosse In imitation of which diuine example we must be in all occasions so resigned to Gods holy will as is the clay in the potters hands which chooseth not its owne fashion or forme but is plyable and obedient to that which the workeman pleaseth to ordayne it vnto for thereby you will obtayne a most happie peace to your minde and euen begin to enioy a perfect Paradise By this meanes there is nothing will happen which can depriue vs of true content and consolation in which consists the chiefest felicity of Gods heighest fauorits in this world who though not exempt from laborious and painfull temptations nor from infirmities and great corporall sufferings yet by the helpe of this holy Conformity whatsoeuer befalls them they preserue their serenity true interiour ioy because there whole content and pleasure is in the accomplishment of the will of God which makes all euents whatsoeuer to be gratefull to them though neuer so contrary and displeasing to flesh and blood they knowing that nothing can befall them but by his diuine order and will whose louing and carefull Prouidence hath disposed of all things for our greatest good what instruments and second causes soeuer he shall please to make vse of for effecting the same yea no sterility in prayer nor the want of all sensible deuotion and comfort therein will disquiet a well setled soule in this vertuous practise of Conformity whereas who neglect the same if they but faile to obtayne what they craue by theire prayers they leaue of with disgust and are greatly discomforted for failing of the end and desire of their owne proper satisfaction Which oftentymes preuailes so verie much with them as they are strongly tempted and sometymes ouercome so farr as to abandon their praiers and other vertuous Exercises which is the greatest victory theyr mortall enemie can desire to obtayne And for these good reasons it was that the ancient holy Fathers did greatly apply themselues to this important studie and fruitfull practise of Cōformity knowing that true resignation is altogether in deeds and not in words and in takeing all things as proceeding from the hand of God by which vertuous Exercise their greatest aduersities were made most pleasing contents and their life become celestiall vpon Earth yea finally to liue or to dye is all one and the selfe same thing saith S. Augustin when our will is truly vnited to the will of God in whose sight we are and vpon whom our being depending we ought wholy to resigne our selues to him with all which we can either doe or suffer in body or in soule in same frends or externall goods for tyme or for Eternity with a perfect resignation to his diuine and holy pleasure yea his granting or denying our request must be to vs indifferent for we ayming but at the glory of God and our owne soules greatest happines both which he knowing farr better then our selues we must rest ioyfully content with his diuine will though neuer so contrary to our owne desire who know not oftentymes what we aske and therefore with great loue and mercy it is that frequently God denies our petition saith S. Augustin that he may doe vs a more mercifull fauour nor yet ought we so much to reioyce for obtayning what we desire as that it is the will of God which is done thereby for by this vnion and Conformity with Gods blessed will we doe most truly restifie our loue and by it we doe our truest honour and homage to him and to our selues we also pourchance that true content and most happie repose which is only to be found in a soule thus truly subiect vnto Gods holy will for who is he that resists it and findeth peace saith Iob. 9. but be subiect to him and thou art secure to enioy it c. 22. Finally by the practise of this holy Conformity to the diuine will and pleasure of God how euer our affaires shall succeed yet our hart will enioy a most happie and quiet peace we acknowledging God to be the soueraign Lord of all and vnderstanding best what most conduceth to his owne glory and to our soules eternall health The fourth Exercise of this Rule which is for the practise of Patience THe great connexion of this holy vertue with the two former is most apparent for where there is true Humility of hart and an entire conformity to the will of God there doubtlesse Patience cannot be wanting to suffer with all cheerefull alacrity what Crosse or tribulation soeuer the Diuine Prouidēce shall
be pleased to orday ne This makes vp a strong chayne of these three holy linkes of a triple vertue whereby all our vnruly and disordered passions may be fast bound in due subiection both to true reason and pietie But to speake now here of the proper fruits of holy Patience in particular as before I haue of the other two it may be first obserued that patience is as a needfull barr and shuts vp the dore against manie sinnes for by moderating the griefe and great trouble of minde it quencheth hatred and preuents both anger and desire of reuenge by which are let in a multitude of pernicious vices and with much reason it is said by S. Gregory to be the wide gate to let in the great sinnes of rancor and wrath of iniuries imprecations maledictions blasphemies indignations murthers and the like greate euills which are vsually harboured in a hart oppressed with impatience bitternesse and griefe all which being first taken away by the holy vertue of patience the soule is left in much quiet and is also thereby enabled to produce true vertuous and perfect operations And for this respect some not vnfitly call Patience the preseruer of vertues for the same being disquieted vertue cannot rightly exercise her functions no nor doe any thing well and therefore shee hath great need of Patience to keepe Reason free and the minde exempt from all Passion for hereby we are disposed to suffer in quiet peace all such afflictions as shall befall vs and to take them in good parte It also greatly moderates that hurtfull passion of sorrow and melancholy an humour aboue all the rest exceeding dangerous and hurtfull both to body and soule vnlesse they be defended by that strong buckler of Patience from the continuall great oppressions of this vicious and dangerous Passion And therefore though all vertues be verie requisite yet Patience is most absolutely necessary for our complying with the will of God and for sauing our soules as the Apostle tells vs Heb. 10. and the reason is for that our life is so replenished with miseries that without this needfull defence of holy Patience we shall neuer obtayne the crowne of victory but in your patience you shall possesse your soules Luke 21. As that holy man well vnderstood who being much vrged to gett some certaine rude persons to be seuerely punished for hauing mocked and much abused him he answered with a smiling and pleasant countenance no no let them doe so still to me said he for they doe but helpe me to get Heauen by the practise of holy patience This was a vertuous and true humble man for who is humble is vndoubtedly patient because he esteemes himselfe deseruing of the euill which he suffereth yea and of farr greater also And if we would but search out the true cause of our impatience and ascende but to the source and true origin we should finde that it proceeds from meere pride and selfe esteeme and this made the holy Bishop of Geneua to aduise vs that we should complaine the least we could of wrongs because saith this excellent man for the most part it is verte true that who complains doth sinne he meanes for want of Patience and Humility for where these vertues are found there is no complaint neither for sicknesse losse nor iniury for their Patience is inuincible in all sortes of afflictions and Humility iudging all to be but answerable to their desert they rather reioyce to pay here their debt hoping to haue thereby the lesse accompt for the future And certainly much truer perfection there is in suffering cheerefully our crosses and contradictions for the loue of God and with a conformable hart to his blessed will in the tyme of our temporall or spirituall affliction then in the most sensible comforts of deuotion by either raptures or extasies in the tyme of prosperity and consolation And to this purpose that holy Father and learned Doctor of the Church great S. Gregory saith that he fare preferrs the vertue of a patient man before that of working miracles and his ground for it is euident because it is the verie fruit it selfe of the heighest vertue Charity which saith S. Paul cor 13. it patient is benigne Charity enuieth not c. is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill c. Jt suffereth all things and that in good parte for the loue of God This diuine loue makes the practise of Patience both easie and verie pleasing gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of God may dwell in me For the which cause saith the same Apostle I please myselfe in infirmities in contumelies in necessities in persecution in distresses for CHRIST Thus blessed S. Paul 2. Cor. 12. Shewing vs how Patience for the loue of God makes all sufferings and afflictions whatsoeuer to be the true obiects of great comfort and ioy All this is clearely verifi'd in the life of that illustrious Virgin blessed Saint Margaret daughter to the King of Hungary and a true mirrour of all religious perfection who grounding the vertue of Patience vpon true Humility and that vpon the loue of God this noble Virgin and most humble seruant of IESVS-CHRIST did often weepe was most troubled in her minde because shee found no practise for the vertue of Patience wherein notwithstanding shee well perceiued her religious Sisters to be frequently exercised by strong contradictions to flesh and blood whereas shee found herselfe incapable to be that wayes mortifi'd And the cause is verie manifest for who desires nothing but purely the will of God is alwayes content with whatsoeuer shall happen But yet for the more facilitating this practise of holy Patience as well against contempt and iniuries as in all other crosses and troubelsome accidents which may befall vs I must here recommend to your serious consideration these ensuing motiues and conuincing reasons for that end First that whatsoeuer is in this world most displeasing and troublesome is nothing to a true vertuous and generous hart which rather is glad of occasions for sufferance thereby to giue proofe of his foundation in vertue and of fidelity to his heauenly Captaine IESVS-CHRIST Secondly consider that these troubles doe not happen to vs but by the particular Prouidence of God for his glory and our greater good and that he is a spectator how we play our partes for that crowne which is only to be got by lawfull fight 2. Tim. 2. Thirdly consider that there is nothing in this world to be endured which our sinnes haue not iustly deserued and that all put togeather which can be inflicted vpon vs in this world is but a shadow in comparison of the paines of Hell or Purgatory which yet by patient sufferance here may be auoyded euerlasting glory gayned Looke not therefore with an angry hart vpon such as shall cause you anie trouble or paine but much rather esteeme them as truly they are those who doe you the truest good and who afford you
but happie occasion to make proofe of your Christian courage of your solidity in vertue and of your fidelity to God who vseth these temporall afflictions but as instrumentall meanes thereby to procure you that great happinesse which you gaine by those occasions to practise holy Patience and is saith S. Iames ch 1 a per fect worke for in your Patience you shall possesse your soules Luke 21. Finally endeauour by a serious and frequent contemplation of the great vncertainty and little worth of all worldly affaires to gaine an indifferency to all humaine casualities they all hapning by Gods speciall order and prouidence and therefore most vndoubtedly for our greater good and why then should we be troubled it being Gods blessed pleasure which we ought most promptly to conforme our selues in all yea it ought to be a comfort and great content to vs saith S. Greg. whē anie thing hapneth which crosseth our owne desires considering that so it is ordayned by him who doth nothing but what is most iust and good Raise therefore your soule with cheerefull gratitude to adore his hidden iudgments in all crosse euents which he permits for your greater good Perseuer with peace and tranquility of minde for he hath done all things well Gen. 7. And what cause then can you haue to be troubled vnlesse you mistrust either his power or his goodnesse which yet can neuer faile Hitherto I haue spoke rather of the Theory of true Patience and but as concerning it in generall It now remaines that I also treate of the needfull practise of it more in particular and in the chiefe occasions wherein nature findes mostreluctance in the holy Exercise of this vsefull vertue This will be best performed by shewing that Wee ought to loue our Enemies and to suffer persecution with ioy YOu may now well perceiue by the former parte of this exercise the great goodnesse and important fruit of this holy plant of Patience the knowledge whereof I doubt not but will giue you a desire to make store of so needfull a prouision by the daily and continuall occasions which will not be wanting whereby you may reape so great profit to your soule But to auoyde prolixity in so copious a subiect I haue thought best to make choyce and here principally to propose to you the needfull Exercise of this great vertue in the two aboue named occasions as being the hardest and most repugnant to our corrupt and rebellious nature for by well maistering them we shall finde the rest but verie weake and easie to be ouercome And now first to shew that we ought to suffer tribulation with content and ioy I will only make choyce of some few good reasons out of manie which are sufficient to conuince this truth may also serue for strong motiues to induce vs to the meritorious practise of suffering the crosse encounters of this world with a willing cheerefullnes for the loue of God The first reason for this truth shall be frō our diuine Rule Prototype CHRIST IESVS himselfe who not by his diuine sacred actions here vpon Earth no nor by his so feruent assiduous prayer nor yet by his preaching or working of so manie miracles did cuerrender to his Eternall Father so great honour and glory as he did by his painefull death and Passion From whence it doth playnely follow and conuince in all good reason that we are not able by anie other meanes so heighly to honour and glorifie God as by a willing and cheerefull sufferance of our afflictions in vnion and imitation of this our diuine example and in true conformity to Gods blessed will and all disposing Proudience when therefore he shall vouchsafe to try vs by anie corporall tribulation or by the losse of goods by priuation of frends or of what else soeuer most deare to vs we must accept thereof as an occasion expresly ordayned by his heauenly Prouidence whereby we may render to him due homage honour conceiuing also that he puts vs to such bodily tryall but as a sweet perfume into the fire to the end that by a good odour of vertuous Patience we may giue both good example to our neighbours and occasion also for them to glorifie our heauenly Father by seeing so cheerefull and humble an acceptation of it for his loue for benefitts are willingly receiued by all saith the holy Bishop of Geneua but to receiue willingly afflictions that belongs only to perfect loue which loues them so much the more because they are not to be loued but only in respect of the hand which giues them A second reason which ought to make all sufferings verie wellcome to vs is for that Heauen and eternall happines is bought by them yea this price it cost the sonne of God himselfe before he could enter into his glory though heire apparent vnto the same Act. 17. And can we then presume to pourchace this happie inheritance of that heauenly Father at a lower rate then he sould it to his onely and dearest sonne who both suffered yea and gaue his dearest life for it O no the seruill slaue must not expect to be prefer'd before his soueraigne Lord it is an excessiue fauour to be admitted to beare the same yoke with him All which but duely considered might well make vs asshamed to feare anie sufferings or to fly from anie crosse seeing that we professe our selues to be disciples of a crucified God for is it aniewise beseeming the member of a heade crowned with sharpe piercing thornes to be so delicate as to fly from all paine or suffering which is the absolute and taxed price of Paradise And therefore seeing as the aboue named holy Bishop of Geneua saith that it is but in vaine to expect to be glorifi'd with IESVS in Heauen vnlesse we be first crucifi'd with IESVS here vpon Earth let vs most willingly embrace his holy crosse and not by compulsion only as Simon the Cyrenean did but much rather with S. Paul let it be farr from vs to glory in anie thing so much as in this most honorable liuery of our diuine Captaine the Crosse and sufferings of IESVS-CHRIST Gal. 6. Yea reason doth conuince vs that the temporall punishment is most hapie whereby we escape an eternall such as are here exempt from them may iustly feare least their farr greater punishment be but reserued to an other world there being most assuredly no other way but this to Paradise for the children of God but first to passe through this fearefull red sea of tribulation before they can hope to enter into that happie land of promisse The third reason which may comprehende all the rest and is a verie strong motiue for vs to suffer with willing alacrity all manner of aduersity is that God the soueraigne Author of nature hath ordained all the crosses afflictions which befall vs for the due punishment of our sinfull rebellion and disobedience for he had placed man in a most happie state in the
terrestriall Paradise of pleasure and content vntill he forfeited that happinesse by cursed sinne and had made himselfe and all his posterity miserable thereby for all Eternity had not Gods infinit great loue and mercy to men more then to Angels accepted for his satisfaction a temporall punishment from vs in the vertue and merits of the death and Passion of his onely deare sonne IESVS-CHRIST for whose sake he vouchsafed to accept of this satisfaction to his diuine iustice by these present afflictions which himselfe here imposeth vpon vs for that end and is euer the chiefe author thereof what other creatures soeuer he may please to vse as instruments for the execution of these his fatherly corrections which are also disposed by him for our greatest good This was acknowledged by holy Iob when after all the great and manie mischiefes which the Diuell had done him in ruining his houses and children by tempest in robbing his cattell and killing his seruants by theeues in destroying his goods by fire and finally hauing couered his body with manie smarting soares and loathsome vlcers yet all this that holy man did attribute to none but to God himselfe and said our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased our Lord so it is done Iob. 1 21. Chaste Ioseph doth as plainly assure vs the verie same When his brethren being much affraied for hauing so grieuously abused him he comforted them saying be not affraid neither let it seeme to you a hard case that you did sell me into these countries for God sent me before you into Egipt for your preseruation Gen. 43. And finally to alleage one more for all did not our blessed Sauiour himselfe say Iohn 18. the chalice which my Father hath giuen to me shall not I drinke it Here you see plainly that he calles it not the treason of Iudas nor the persecution of the Iewes Scribes or Pharisees but the chalice of his Father for all afflictions come from him and are sent by his eternall order to vs for our good And therefore this being beleeued by a Christian as it ought how can we be troubled at the afflictions and crosses which are sent from so louing so prudent and so good a Father as most milde and fauorable executioners of his diuine iustice and as most wholesome potions from his skilfull and louing Phisition to cure the sinfull surfer of his soule Finally afflictions are to vs but as bitter aloes which the nource puts to her breastes thereby weaning the child to make it willing to come home to his owne true mother for God by affliction makes vs to dislike this world our nource and to looke home vnto him our only true and carefull Parent Manie more motiues might be alleaged for vs to embrace afflictions with a willing minde but it may suffice to remember that it is the best token of Gods diuine loue to vs and the verie badge wherewith he hath euer honored and cloathed his dearest frends to the good he sends it for the increase of their merit and to the bad for their conuersion In fine he impartes it vnto all as the meanes for their eternall happinesse and therefore it ought to be receiued by all with a cheerefull and willing hart But me thinkes I heare you to complaine as King Dauid did Psal 54.13 that your greatest wrongs are from your nearest frends and therefore much more greeuous then would they be from a professed enemie I doe easily beleeue you but yet you must remember that vngratefull Absalon was much nearer to his so tenderly louing Father Dauid the true figure herein of IESVS-CHRIST whom he most vngratefully vngraciously labored to depriue not only of his kingdome and crowne but also most fiercely pursued him for his verie life as we likewise see those vngratefull Iewes to haue done the like to IESVS-CHRIST himselfe whom Dauid did but represent And therefore you hauing such presidents for this your sufferance you ought rather to esteeme it a verie great honour to beare your little share with them You may yet peraduenture reply that your chiefe repugnance and greatest difficulty in suffering these Crosses with true patience is because you deserued no ill from their hands nor had done them anie wrong who thus cruelly and most vnkindely haue persecuted you But neither is this a good excuse for your impatience but is rather to be regarded as the glory of your cause for had you first offended them by anie wrong or iniury your sufferance had been but a iust punishment of your offence whereas you being innocent your patient sufferance will gaine you an incomparable aduantage for nothing doth so much extoll innocency as iniustice and though it be an oppression yet if it bee truly looked vpon it is but a pledge from Gods owne proper hand and as a token of his loue which therefore ought to be receiued with all cheerefull alacrity But he depriues me of my maintenance say you and will bring me to much want and necessity This toucheth indeed verie neere and to the quick yet take great heed that you doe not herein the parte of a peeuish and angry child from whome if the louing Mother shall take but some hurtfull bable out of the one hand it will presently throw downe the good meate which it hath in the other and in a peeuish pett it will stamp and starue for reuenge but the childe of God must not intemperately grieue nor so disquiet himselfe for the losse of what so louing a Father shall take from him either immediately himselfe or by a frend or a foe as that for the losse of some parte of his meanes he should there vpon by his impatience depriue himselfe of the content which he might fufficiently haue taken in the rest which he still enioyes No we ought much rather to looke downe vpon the innumerable multitude of those who remaine in a farr meaner fortune below vs and who would accompt themselues exceeding happie and obleiged to great gratitude should they enioy but some small parte of our remainder and yet perhaps deserue it much better then wee who forget that it is sent vs from that blessed hand which disposeth all for our best aduantage if we with conformity but render our selues cheerefully to his diuine will for if he depriue vs here of our temporall content and happinesse we may rest assured that he hath allotted reserues for vs those others infinitly excelling them and to be eternall in Heauen if through our owne willfull fault we be not the vnhappie hinderance of them our selues This I trust will now be aboundantly sufficient to make large scope for your owne better reflexions vpon this fruitfull subiect whereby to picke most pleasant sweet roses of Conformity from these sharpe pricking thornes of your manie sufferings towards the composing of a glorious crowne I hope for your dearest soule But yet for the richer adornement of this your happy crowne I must further recommend to
friuolous aduantage and that also with preiudice to your owne soule for who obstinately maintaines his owne opinion shewes plainly that he preferres his iudgment and reason before that of others which sauours of much pride and selfe esteeme But when iust occasions requires that you should oppose the opinion of an other be then verie warie that it be not with anie presumption or heate but hauing mildly proposed your reasons modesty desist in all frendly affection and rather framing your discourse in fauour of your opposer taking all in good part and so farr only arguing the matter in all quiet temper as that without offence the treuth may thereby appeare Bee exceeding wary that no passion nor earnestnesse in discourse mooue you to anie chol ricke expressions or iniurious words for besides the offence to God you will thereby weaken your owne reputation it being generally esteemed much weakenesse of iudgment and want of good reason to defend a cause by passion and offensiue language whereas one only good reason alleaged for it is of much more force with a prudent man then a thousand sharp biting or iniurious words Finally lett your mind be neuer troubled nor disquieted for anie contradiction which shall be fram'd against your discourse for such trouble and disquiet would easily manifest the good opinion you conceiue of your selfe as if forsooth all your sayings were to be receiued as Oracles and to be contradicted by none True Humility would soone correct this odious vice of selfe esteeme and preuenting all sinfull contention it would render our Conuerfation meritorious and verie gratefull both to God and Man You haue seene sufficient motiues to hate all Contention Debate and carefully to anoyde the same in your Conuersation The ensuing discourse will shew what euill fruit proceeds from that pernicious roote which begets in our soules the dangerous and brutall vice Of Anger and Choler CHoler is a principall productiâ—â— of Pride and so pernicious a Fassion as the verie best of our actions are much endangered to be quite spoyled thereby since it not only depriues them of their merit but also renders them sinfull and vicious The holy Ghost by the mouth of S. Iames assures vs that the anger of Man worketh not the iustice of God c. 1. And daily experience makes it manifest that in Choler no action is laudable for who corrects his child in anger will exceed the due limitts of discretion and to reprehend a seruant in that intemperate passion yea though for a verie iust cause is but to cast a reproach vpon him and to prouoke him to further disobedience The same is to be said of all other actions whatsoeuer this vnbridled humour corrupting and rendring them vngratefull to euerie one and this brutall passion sometymes possesses the mind so entirely as what is impious and outragious in it felfe being beheld saith S. Greg. with these false spectacles of an inflamed anger appeares to be iust and reasonable But the true folly of this ill gouerned Passion is soone discouered and bringes much repentance for the great harme which it causeth both to body and soule for seruants not long able to endure so outragious an humour in a Maister they departe and leaue him alone Children become dull stupid and neglectfull of such a Father The comfortlesse poore wyfe is bedewed with perpetuall teares All frends abandon such Persons since they are no more sociable neither is there more contentment to be found in their Conuersation then in that of Sauage beastes The violence of this dangerous passion is so great as it frequently breakes out into strange effects which are as the Symptomes of it Behold a person in fury and you will see his face red and swell'd his eyes will be inflamed his eares performe not their fuÌ„ctioÌ„ his mouth foames his hart pants his tongue staÌ„mers his voyce is shrill and vngratefull his words inconsiderate finally his whole body trembles as in a feauer The force of fury and rage hath broken veines in some persons stop't vrine in others and diuers haue dyed so daynely in the hight of this passion All which you may see at large described by that great Father of the Church S. Io. Chrysostome orat ad pop Antioch Nor is there a more vrgratefull and deformed obiect to behold saith he thon a passionate and angry man If then this bruish passion cause such pernicious effects exteriorly in the body what disorder may we well imagin that it also procures inwardly in the soule for hauing depriued her of iudgment and reason it then setts all on fire and fills her with sumes of distempered humours and with much obscurity and confusion like one who abrusting the Maister one of doores setts fire on the house and burneth himselfe within it This Passion of Anger is a vice which the verie light of nature in Pagans hath taught vs to hate and eschew for it was most truly said by â—eneca that the Anger conceined for an injury doth much more harme then the iniury receined And therefore he had good reason to say that the end of our anger will be but the beginning of our repentance and yet no angry man will acknowledge saith S. Augustin nor conceiue his owne anger vniust A good meanes to auoyde the great harme of this vnruly and pernicious passion is to consider that it hath fowre seuerall stations wherein it principally appeareth in Man in the hart in the face in the tongue and in our deeds If now we perceiue it to haue already gott possession in the first we must vse all speedy diligence to hinder that it enter not into the second but if it haue likewise gayned entrance there then let vs at least endeauour all we can to keepe strong hould and fortify our tongue against it which if it's outraging force and fury shall in like manner conquour yet let vs labour with all possible and faithfull resistance to preuent the fourth to the end that by no meanes this brutall and ourregious passion appeare in deeds and in actuall reuenge which God reserues wholy to himselfe and most expresly forbids vs to be vsurpers of that his most soueraigne right Rom. 41. An other good motiue to suppresse this cholericke and angry humour when anie offends vs will be to consider seriously with our selues how often and how greeuously we offend our Lord and louing Redeemer who in steed of she wing anger or reuenge he continually powres downe his guifts and great benefits vpon vs drawing vs thereby to repentance and to loue him that so we may be capable of his eternall glory Consider this and confound your selfe if anie passion of vnruly Choler shall transport you to impatience against your seruant or anie other person for some small offence Remember how great an ingratitude it would be towards God to vse with so little respect those his creatures which both in nature and in the end for which they were made are equall with your selfe whoÌ„ not withstanding he
to be preferr'd before anie other act yea though the conuersion of whole Nations and the eternall Blisse both of Angells and Men should depend therevpon for all that in respect of what concernes the glory of God belongs to an infinitly inferior order and can admit no degree of comparison no the only sacred name of IESVS religiously pronounced by the Iust and in the holy Ghost excells beyond all proportion the valew of the heighest excellency within the bounds of all created nature Wherefore considering now as well the great profit as also the precise necessity of prefixing this holy Intention both to our prayers and to whatsoeuer we doe let vs frequently in the day and at the beginning of all our chiefe actions renew our morning oblation thereof and directing our hart vnto God let vs renounce our owne proper satisfaction and will to vnite it to God's crauing humbly his diuine grace that we neuer doe anie thing contrary therevnto In fine all our thoughts words and deeds must be offered vnto God in vnion honour and adoration and in the spirit Intention and disposition of all the sacred actions of IESVS-CHRIST in whose regard they will be made acceptable and admitted in expiation of sinne Take speciall great heed that no corrupt Intention blast that happy fruit of your actions and be verie wary of the subtile poison of vaine-glory selfe-loue priuate satisfaction which is the ruine destruction of all spirituall profitt in the soule Regard not the sight nor censure of anie Man but consider that only of God who both rewards and punishes not only in this world but also eternally in the other Recall with true sorrow the many lost actions of your life past for want of true Purity of Intention and direct them hereafter in vnion of that diuine Intention whereby our Lord and Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST did honour his heauenly Father in all his actions during the whole course both of his life and death for he being our Originall Prototype diuine Model we ought thereby to frame aur actions and to imitate them the best we can Examine now well by the premisses how farr you haue been faulty for what is past and with harty repentance propose by God's grace to be more carefull for the tyme to come and endeauoring by manie feruent aspirations frequently to offer vp all your actions to God craue humbly his heauenly help that they may be both begunn ended to his greater glory and that you may be sooner struck by death it selfe then consent deliberately to offend his Maiesty by anie grieuous sinne THE SECOND PARTE Of this Rule shewing that the memory of Gods diuine Presence is a maine incitement to vertue and a great curb to all Vice PYrity of Intention can nowaise be better seconded then by the help of this ensuing part of Gods diuine Presence for who well considers that he is the beholder of whatsoeuer we doe as it must needs on the one side encourage exceedingly excite him to direct all his actions to the glory of him who is so bountifull a rewarder so likewise on the other it will no lesse deterr him from offending in his presence who can punish vs both temporally in this world and eternally in the other without all hope of appeale I haue kept thy Commandements c. saith holy Dauid because all my wayes are in thy sight Psal 118. He giues the Presence of God as the true reason meanes by the helpe whereof he kept Gods holy law This was that strong buckler which defended chast Ioseph and Susanna from those dangerous temptations wherewith they were assaulted for much better it is said shee that by not yealding I fall into your hands then that I should sinne in the sight of God Dan. 13. This was the Rule which God himselfe prescribed to holy Abraham as a principall meanes for attayning to heigh Perfection walke before me and be perfect Gen. 17. as if he had said remember I ouersee thee in all things and thy deeds will be perfect The reason hereof is most manifest for as the beholding sight of a seuere Iudge doth most powerfully restrayne vs from offending so on the contrary nothing doth so much encourage and incite the Soldier to generous acts as doth the sight of his King or Generall who can aboundantly reward him And therefore it well appeares how effectuall a meanes this holy practise of Gods diuine Presence now is for the perfect and entire accomplishment of true Christian iustice it deterring vs most powerfully from the great euill of sinne and it as strongly also spurrs vs on to doe good by the practise of vertue which are the two essentiall parts of this holy iustice and are as two wings to the soule whereof if either of them be wanting the other will little auaile her to mount vp to her heauenly Blisse By all which it appeares both how necessary this holy practise is to direct all our actiōs according to the will of God as also how needfull to curbe our vnruly passiōs to moderate the disordered affections of our minde Finally it serues as a seuere and awfull Maister to deterr the boldest sinner from offending him who hath such power not only to inflict all temporall punishment vpon him in this world but also to condemne him both body and soule to the eternall flames of Hell All which being manifest it remaines that I endeauour to declare how this diuine Presence of God may be conceiued by vs and by what meanes it ought to be practised for both which you may obserue that The first good helpe whereby to conceiue the diuine Presence of God is firmely to beleeue with S. Paul that God is not farr from vs for we line we mooue and we are in him Act. 17. Yea we so absolutely subsist by his support as should be withdraw his sustayning hand all creatures would returne to their former nothing from whence he first extracted them so that we are not only inwardly replenished with him but he also encompasseth vs on euery side for both Heauen and Earth are fill'd with thy glory Esa 6. Yea he is more intimately present to vs then is our soule because he is the very essence of our soule there giuing to it not only the operations which it makes in the body but euen the existence and proper being of them both for thou ô Lord do'st all my actions Esa 26. Nor is it I but the grace of God with me saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. Where attributing his actions much rather to God's operation in him then to his owne and therefore by good consequence he was there present vnto them as S. Augustin did well conceiue when he so greatly rebuked himselfe for hauing labored to seeke God abroad in his other Creatures whom he so intimately enioy'd within himselfe at home A second good expedient for this holy practise of Gods diuine Presēce is to contemplate his continuall benefitts which as the
prime and principall cause he communicates to vs by the instrumentall meanes of his other creatures as light by the Sunne heate by the fire nourishment by our food respiration by the ayre all the rest both corporall spirituall benefitts which as by conueying conduits we receiue frō his owne bountifull hand as the same S. Augustin did likewise acknowledge when giuing his immediate thankes vnto God for that first nourishment which his diuine goodnesse had so prouidently conueyed to him by those tender breastes of his louing Nource And therefore with this B. St. due gratitude also exacts of vs to keepe the eye of our soule vpon so continuall a Benefactor who principally workes with his creatures all the good we receiue by thē though not to be perceiued by our corporall eyes no more then we can behold either our soule or the ayre both which notwithstanding be reall true substances are actually present with vs for otherwise we could neither act nor liue Thirdly for the more easie comprehending both the manner and reality of Gods diuine Presence some fitly resemble it to the beames of a bright shining sunne vpō a cleare transparēt christall wherein nothing on anie side either within nor without is hidden from the eye yea the least mote or stayne within the secret'st part of it appeares as cleare as doth the exteriour out-side of the same In like condition are all creatures whatsoeuer in respect of God to whom the darkest profoundest corners within the bowels of the Earth the most secret thoughts of our minde consciences lye as open as doth the shinning sunne which though it may iustly giue subiect of great terrour to the wicked yet the vertuous soule may much reioyce to be continually in the vew of so louing a Father and of so powerfully a protecting Lord. We being now sufficiently assured of this diuine Presence whereof Faith permitts vs not to doubt I will here also briefly endeauour to shew what profit may be drawne from this certaine treuth which ought greatly to ioy a good Christian hart to haue for eye-witnesse of all we doe that souueraigne Lord who beholding both our thoughts words deeds rewards the least of them eternally it being done for his sake for this vndoubtedly must strongly incite a gratefull hart to aspirations both of loue gratitude as also to feare reuerence whereby the vertuous soule vnites her selfe more closely to his sacred Presence and laboring thus to gaine a holy habit of this diuine exercise shee breathes fourth feruent and affectionate eiaculations as fiery darts cast vp vnto God from an enamoured soule inflamed with loue which craues without art yet with an ardent desire and tender feeling with the Kingly Prophet sometymes for pardon of her sinnes and for grace to amend sometymes to be freed from a predominant vice from some euill habit or vnruly Passion sometymes to obtayne such vertues as may make her most gratefull to God sometymes by blessing praising and adoring his diuine goodnesse when abroad in the fields orgardens shee beholds the Sunne the Elements the great fabrick of this world or anie other creature either of Heauen or Earth which that Almighty Creator hath made for the vse of Man Finally by raising her hart vnto God in producing holyacts of feruēt loue of detestation of sinne of profound Humility of perfect Conformity of willing Patience to conclude by such other acts of vertue as occasion and diuine inspiration may best suggest for by this good meanes the soule preserues her selfe in a continuall practise of Gods heauenly Presence shee greatly preuents the worst temptations of her ghostly enemie by thus gaining a holy habit of God's diuine Presence with ioy and great ease shee obtaynes holy grace to practise such vertues as be most needfull for her perfection in his diuine seruice and shee worketh her eternall saluation thereby But to reduce this so important a point to an easie and verie profitable practise it is here first to be obserued that the chiefest difficulty in this holy Exercise consists in the beginning and verie first practise thereof and therefore to gaine facility in practising the liuely memory of God's diuine Presence your first endeauour must be to haue both a good will and true desire to obtaine it for a holy desire is both assisted by grace and is also a powerfull spurr to nature for the vsing all fitting endeauour to obtaine what is desired 2. We must craue it of God by very harty and earnest prayer as being a perfect guift descending from the Father of lights from which holy fountaine we must expect it much rather then from anie humaine art or industry But I must not omit here to giue you as a most necessary aduertisment that you begin to practise this holy Exercise gently and by degrees with all prudent moderation First calling Gods Presence to mind at each striking of the clock then after endeauour the same at the beginning and end of all your chiefest actions for by often iterated acts habits are begotten and this Exercise which at first semed teadious and difficult by perseuerance and practise becomes both pleasing and verie easie to be renewed in all the rest of your actions God being euer present in all places and therefore most easie to be found It is also to be obserued that some by intemperate feruour exceeding in this holy Exercise the due limitts of discretion and strayning the faculty of their imagination aboue it's power by striuing actually to exercise a continuall Presence of God they much weaken the head and render themselues thereby vnprofitable for other duties of obligation which is a most conuincing argument that it proceeds not from the Spirit of God that being truly gentle and sweet wisd 10. And leadeth none to such immoderate extremities which are but the effects of our owne satisfaction and not of the true loue of God which is neuer to be found destitute of solid true wisdome and Prudence You haue now here seene both how necessary and verie profitable this holy Exercise of Gods diuine Presence is for all such as aspire to Christian Perfection It remaines that I conclude this Rule by shewing briefly what exceeding great harme the neglect thereof doth cause both to body soule it being most certaine and manifest that as the memory of Gods diuine Presence mainely deterres vs from sinne so likewise the neglect thereof is most truly accompted the very source fountaine of all impiety for God is not before the eyes of the wicked saith the holy King and therefore all their wayes are defiled with sinne Psal 10. For from hence proceeds their booldnesse temerity in offending him To this the Prophet Ezechiel attributes the enormous wickednesse of Hierusalem and for the selfsame reason a sinner is most truly qualifi'd by the holy Ghost a Foole because in his heart he saith there is no God Psal 52. That publike sinner Thais being happily strucke